Folding eyeglass frame



Patented Oct. 27, 19.31

JACOB J. roMEnAnz, or BROOKLYN, NEW Yoan' v FOLDING EYEGLASS l'Application ined March 18, 1929. sria1 No. 347,936. r

, 'Ihisinvention relates, generally, to `improvements in eye-glasses;andthe invention` has reference, more particularly, to improvea ments infolding eye-glasses of the Oxford .S type, but'provided -with hingedtemples and novel means to releasably lock the lens rims in foldedrelation one over the other.

Thisinvention has forl its principal ohject to provide folding eye-glassframes having temples hinged 'thereto and means to releasably lock thelensrims `in folded relation, comprising a 4lock-stud rigidly supportedin connection with a leafof one of the temple hinges Connected with onelens rim, and means connected with the otherlens rim "to cooperate withsaid lock-stud ,to releasablyretain saidlatter lens rim in foldedrelation tothe first mentioned lens rim.

The principles of constructioninvolved in this invention are of especialadvantage in connection with eye-glassframes made of tortoise-shell,pyroxylin and similar materials, since ythe lock-,stud is strongly andrigidly supported in connection with the metallic temple hingeleaf, andconsequently all strain upon the more fragile material of the lensframes is eliminated as the lock-stud is firmly supported and reenforcedagainst direct exertion of lateralstrain on the lensframe material,vwhichv material tends tosplit or fractureA under `such strainsfwhe'nalone affording thefooting supporty for klock-studs.

Other objects of this invention, notat this time more particularlyenumerated, will be clearly understood vfrom the following detaileddescription of the same; n

' Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown intheaccompanying drawings, in,v which -f m Fig. 1 is an inside face View ofa pair of foldingeye-glasses made according to and embodying ,theprinciples of, this invention, the same 'being 4shown vin openedposition ready for use; Fig. 2 isa similar 4View of the same with thelens rims shown` folded together and secured by the releasahle lockingmeans of this invention, the hinged templesv being-shown in fulllineskin ,opened position, and by'dotted lines in 'their foldedAposition relative to the folded lens rims; Fig. 3 i-s a fragmentarysectional view,'taken on 'line 3 3 in Fig. 2 lout drawn'on a somewhatenlarged scale; Fig. 4 is av view similar to that shownin Fig. 2, butillustrating `a modified form of releasable locking means; and'Fig. 5 is4also a similar view showing another modified form of vreleasalolemeans. A f

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of they hereinabovedescribed views, to indicate correspondingparts.`

Referring to the drawingsfthe' referencecharacters 6 and -7respectivelyindicatethe respective lensrims -of'the eye-glass frame.These` lens rims may loev made -of tortoise shell, pyroxylin or othersuitablematerial. Each lens rim is provided at the upper partthereofwith yan eary Sto-which is pivotally secured.` ananchor-loox 9 towhich is fixedly secured van end of `a flexible bridge spring 10. Saidbridgespvring 10 serves to lconnect 70 the lens rims 6 and -7`inlproperly spacedl apart relation. Each ear 8 is provided with a stopportion l11 lwhich abuts against a portion of the anchor-box 9 connectedtherewith, so as to limit outward turning displacement of the lens rims,and whereby the VVpressure of the bridge spring may be normally exertedupon the lens rims to press the same toward eachother, and thereby causeVthe nose-pad portions 12cm the inner sides ofthe lens rims togrippingly. engage the nose kof the wearer, when the eye-glasses areworn. yThe lens rim 6 is provided at'its outer side with :anV outwardlyprojecting lug-131:0 the inner face of which is riveted or otherwisesuitably secured, a meta-llichinge leaf 14hav-1 ing hinge knuckles 15'tocooperate with 'hinge knuckles g 16 of another. metallich hinge leafl 17with which a temple 18-is provided. Alhinge pin 19 is engaged throughthecooperating hinge knuckles 15 and 16 to'thereby hingedlyr connect saidtemple 18 to the lens frame 6. In llike manner, the lens rim 7 isprovided with an outwardly projecting lug 20 and a temple 21 hingedly,connected therewith by a similar metallichinge structure Threaded intoor "otherwise rigidly coupled with thehin'ge leaf 14 von the lug 13ofthe lens rim 6 is an upstanding lock studl 23,',

which is thus rigidly and firmly footed inthe metallic hinge structure,and is therefore so reenforced by the latter as to not only itselfeasily withstand lateral strains but also in such manner .as to avoidimparting stresses and strains to the more fragile lens rim materialunderlying said hinge structure. If desired, said lock-stud 28 may beprovided with an enlarged head 24 at its upper free end.

The lens rim 7 is provided in its exteriorv spring 10 easily yielding tosuch movement.

In thus moving the lens rim 7 relative to the lens rim 6, the perhipheryof the former is brought against the lock-stud 23 and then y slid alongthe same until the notch 25 regis-A ters therewith so that the lock-stud23 enters the latter. The tension stored in the bridgespring 10, as thesame is bent or flexed to permit ofthe described folding movement,tendsV to maintain the notch 25 in interlocled relation to the lock-stud23, thus retaining the lens rims .6-7 in the folded relation in whichthey are disposed. After the lens rims 6 7 t are thus folded, thetemples 18 and 21 may be in turn folded down across the folded lensrims, to thereupon occupy the folded positions indicated by the dottedlines in Fig. 2.V

To release the lens rims 6 7 from folded relation, the user merelypresses the lens rim 7 forwardly away from the lock stud 23, thusfreeing the latter from the notch 25., whereupon the restraint on thetension of the bridge spring 10 is released, andconsequently saidbridge-spring will resume its normal unexed condition, thereby swinging-outY said lens rim 7 back to normal opened relation to to the lens rim6. v Y l In Figure 4 I have shown a slightly` modified form of lockingnotch for the lens rim 7. In this modified construction I provide thelens rim 7 with a projecting nose member 26 providing a cam-like lift orinclined member tangent to the external periphery ofthe lens rim. Theend of this nose member 26 forms a shoulder in which a notch-like seat27 is provided. When the lens rim 7 is swung toward and overE the lensrim 6, the nose member 26 rides against the lock-stud 23V until the endof the former isV reached whereupon the latter drops into the notch-likeseat 27, the parts being maintained in the resulting engagement by thetension `of the flexed bridge spring 10. In other respects the structureof Fig. 3 is the same as that already described.

In Fig. 5 I have shown another modified form of locking structure. Inthis form instead of providing the lens rim 7 with a lockstud engagingmeans in the form of a notch in the periphery thereof, I secure tothelens rim 7, a metallic eye-member or ring -28 arranged rto projectoutwardlyY therefrom. When such lock ring 28 is employed the head 24:Vof the lock-stud `23 is eliminated. With this modified arrangement oflocking structure, the lensrim 7 is moved until the lock ring 28approaches the lock-stud whereupon au slight lifting movement isimparted to the lens rim 7 to lift the lock ring over the end ofthelock-stud 23 soA that the latter may enter theopening of the lock-ring,thus interlocking the parts together, as shown in sald Fig, 'o' of thedrawings.

It willbe obvious that in all the described relieves the more fragilematerial of the lens 3',

rims from the strains and stresses whichA would be exerted thereonwhenthe lock structure is operatively engaged if the lock-stud wasmerelyfimbedded or footed in the lens rim material alone'.V

Having thus described my invention, AI claim:- j l l. Foldableveye-glass frames comprising, non-metallic lens rims, .a flexible bridgespring ,interconnecting said lens rims,.each lens rim having anintegral' outwardly projecting lug at its outer side and ,in the planethereof, foldable temples, metallic hinge structures to pivot-allyconnect said temples to said lens rims including hingev leavessuperimposed on the inner faces `of said lugs and fixedly securedfthereto, av lock-stud threaded into the thus arranged hinge leafi ofone lens rim to project at right angles to t-he plane of they latter,andthe other lens rim having means to engage said lock-stud when the.such lens rim is folded oversaid first mentioned lens rim to therebyreleasably retain the lens rims infolded together relation. Y. l n y 2.Foldable eye-glass frames comprising, non-metallicV lens rims, aflexible bridge spring interconnecting said lens rims, 'each lens rimhaving an integral outwardly pro-1 jecting lug at its outer side and inthe plane t thereof, foldable temples, metallicV hinge structures topivotally connect said temples to said lens rims including hinge leavessuperimposed on the inner faces of said lugs and ixedly securedthereto,a metallic lockstud securedto the thus arranged hinge leaf ofone lens rimf` to project at right angles to'v the Iplane of the latter,and the other lens rim having a notch in its 'exterior periphery toembrace said lock-stud when said lens rims are folded together one overthe other to thereby releasably retain the same in such folded relation.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 13th day of March, 1929.

y JACOB J. POMERANZ.

